Fishing tool



Aug. 4, 1931. c. VAN AMBURGH ET AL 1,816,991

FISHING TOOL Filed 001:. 31, 1927 f 37 INVENTORSf Z9 Char/es L. M01Ambu7/1;

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Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE CHARLES L. VAN AMBURGH AND JAMES R. RUSSELL, OI? LONGBEACH, CALIFORNIA,

SAID VAN AMBUR-GH ASSIGNOR T FRANK I. KAUFFMAN, OF LONG BEACH, CALI-FORNIA FISHING TOOL Application filed October 31, 1927. Serial No.229,991.

Our invention relates to fishing tools adapted for use in connectionwith the drilling of oil wells or the like, and it refersparticula'rly-to a tool which is adapted to close over a part so as toform a receptacle there for in order that the part may besuccessfullyfished out of a well hole.

.One object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character witha pipe adapted to penetrate rockor other material, andv operatively toconnect with the pipe, so as to be raised or lowered therein, a basket,which is normally open at its bottom, and also to provide the tool withmeans. for closing the bottom of the basket, so that, when the basket islifted out of the well hole, the required part is fished out therewith.I

Another object of the invention is to construct atool of this characterso that, in the process of placing the tool over the part to be fishedout of a well hole, unnecessary strains are eliminated and the toolcannot be damaged, thus insuring a successful operation of the tool.

A further object of the invention is to construct a tool of thischaracter so that the tool may be operated quickly and easily.

A still further object of the invention is to construct a tool of thischaracter so that it may be easily assembled or disassembled and thatthe tool may be manufactured at a low cost;

Other objects will be understood from the following detaileddescription,having reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of ground and aview of acasing, shown in longitudinal mid-section as sunk into the well hole inthe ground, and an elevation, partly broken and partly in longitudinalmidsection of a preferred embodiment of the fishing tool of ourinvention, the view showing the basket in the process of penetrating theground material within the wash-over pipe but as not yet having reachedthe annular incline formed in the shoe of the wash-over pipe, and alsocertain parts carried on top of the ground material forced upward bythe, drilling operation of the shoe and being in position to be fishedout of the well hole;

Figure 2 is a View, similar to Figure 1, but showing the teeth in thebottom of the basket as being engaged by the annular incline in the shoeof the wash-over pipe, thereby closing the bottom of the basketpreparatory to the lifting of the basket from the well hole;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the wash-over pipe, aportion of the drill pipe and a portion of the basket, and showsmodified forms of the heads, respectively connected with the drill pipeand the basket;

Figure 4 is an elevation of portions of the wash-over pipe, a portion ofthe drill pipe and portions of the basket, the view being partly brokenand partly in section and showing the basket directly connected with thedrill pipe; I

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the wash-overpipe, a portion of the drill pipe, the heads, a portion of the basket,and the connecting means between the heads, as shown in Figure 1, theview clearly illustrating the circulation means through the heads; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan of the basket, with the teeth thereof intheir closed positions, and of the shoe for the wash-over pipe, the viewbeing taken in a plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

The tool of our invention is in the drawings indicated as a whole by thenumeral 1. This tool comprises a core forming bit including wash-overpipe 2, which is adapted to operate freely within a casing 3 and has atits lower end a shoe 4, provided with cutting teeth 5, so that, when thewashover pipe is rotated, the shoe of the latter may penetrate rock orother 'material 6, in the well hole 7 of which the casing has been sunk.In connection with the wash portion of the wash-over pipe and'ls re-'movably "attached thereto in any suitable manner so as to be virtuallyintegral therewith, and a suitable packing '10 serves to prevent liquidfrom flowing between the drill pipe and the tubular member while at thesame time it allowsthe drill pipe to move freely within the tubularmember.- The drill pipeis in its wall provided with akey 11, which isadapted to slide in a slot 12, which is formed longitudinally in thewall of the tubular member and is widened and offset at its upper end,as shown at 13, so that, when the keyrests inthe offset portion, asshown in Figure 1, the drill pipe is held in a raised position relativeto the wash-over pipe.

The drill pipe 9 has fixed thereto a drivinghead 14 by any suitablemeans. For example, the lower end of the drill pipe may be screwed intothe driving head,.as is clearly shown in Figure 5 at 15. In the drivinghead is centrally formed an opening 16, adapted to receive therein apipe 17 which also extends through an opening 18 formed centrally in adriven head 19, and any suitable stop means, which, in this instance,are shown as collars 20 and'21 and are respectively secured to the endsof the pipe. Openings 22 are provided for the purpose of-allowingcirculation through the driving head, and an annular space 23 is for thesame purpose provided between the basket 8 and.the wash-over pipe 2. Onits underside the driving provided with ratchet t eeth 2 l, which areadapted to engage ratchet teeth 25 formed on the upper side of thedriven head, so-

that, when the ratchet teeth of the driving head engage the ratchetteethof the driven head and when the-drill pipe is rotated in a clockwisedirection, as viewed from the top of the wash-over pipe, the driven headmay also be rotated in the same direction,

but, when the drill pipe is rotated in the opposite direction, thedriven head is irresponsive to the rotative movement of the drill pipe.

In the preferred form of our invention, the basket 8 is at its upper endsuitably head is secured to the driven head 19, for instance, by athread connection 26, so that, when the driven head is rotated in theaforementioned clockwise direction, the basket is also rotated in thesame direction. At its lower end or bottom,the basket is provided withteeth 27, each of: which, as viewed relative to the rotative movement.of the basket, preferably has its forward edge inclined from the base ofthe tooth, as shown at 28. An annular incline. 29, which is adapted toengage the teeth 27 is formed on the inside of the shoe 4 of thewash-over pipe near to the bottom thereof, so that thereby a means forclosing the basket is provided.

In order to lower thefishing tool 1 tu the required depth in a well hole7, the

drill pipe is connected with thenecessary lengths of similar pipe by theusual tool joints and with a suitable drilling rig in the usual manner,but, since such connections are well known in the art and are not partsof our invention, an illustration thereof is omitted as superfluous.

Although the fishing tool 1, illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5, isespecially adapted for use in connection with drilling rigs of therotary-type, it should be understood that our invention is not' limitedthereto, but may also be used in connection with drilling rigs of thecable type. In connection with the latter type of drilling rigs,however, the driving headand the driven head are preferablyslightly-modified, as shown in Figure 3. The arrangement of the drillpipe 9 within the tubular member 10, which lines the inside of the topportion of the wash-over pipe 2, and the arrangement of the pipe 17,with the stop collars 20' and 21 thereon,,are in this instance the sameas already described in regard to Figures 1, 2 and 5, with the exceptionthat the driving head 30 has no teeth' on its under side 14, the.drivinghead 30 has circulation open- I ings 34 therein, while anannular space 35, j

corresponding with the'sjpace 23, is formed pipe 2.

ing tool so" that the basket'8 is loosely conbetween the basket 8 andthe wash-over nected with the drill pipe v9 through the" pipe 17 whichhas the stop collars 20 and 21 thereon, and to operate the basket'bymeans of the action of a driving head upon a driven head, we may insomeinstances modify the construction so as to connect the basketdirectly with the drill pipe. Sucha construction is shown in Figure 4,in which the basket is at its upper end screwed upon the lower end of acoupling has therein the annular incline 29 and the cutting teeth at itsbottom.

When it is desired to fish lost parts or objects, indicated at 38 inFigures 1 and'2, out of the well hole 7, the fishing tool 1 isassembled, as shown, with the key 11 in ofiset portion 13 of the slot12, as shown in Figure 1, and connected with the necessary lengths ofpipe so that, when the tool is lowered in the casing 3, the offsetportion carries the weight of the pipes and that thus the teeth 5 on theshoe 4 of the wash-over pipe may be adapted to cut into the formation ofrock or other material 6. The drilling rig is then operated so that thewashover pipe penetrates the material 6 and causes the core of thematerial to rise within the wash-over pipe and to enter the open bottomof the basket. With the teeth 27 of the basket only a short distancefrom the "annular incline 29, the drill pipe is thereafter rotated untilthe key 11 registers with the main portion of the slot 12. In thepreferred form of fishing tool, the drill pipe is then lowered until theratchet teeth 24: on the driving head 14 contact the ratchet teeth 25 onthe driven head 19, as shown in Figure 2, and a sufficient Weight isapplied in order to cause the teeth 27, when they come into engagementwith the annular incline 29, to be bent inward and thus to close thebottom of the basket, as shown in Figures 2 and 6. If it is found thatthe formation of the material 6 is sufficiently hard to withstand theweight of the basket, so that the teeth 27 do not readily penetrate thematerial and reach the incline 29, the

basket may be closed by lifting the drill pipe at little and thenallowing it to drop so as to cause the driving head to strike the drivenhead, or, preferably, a sufiicient weight is applied and the drill pipeis rotated backward, so that the ratchet teeth 24 slide upon the ratchetteeth 25 and thus first cause the driving head to rise and then allow itto drop suddenly upon the driven head, thereby producing a jar or hammeraction, which will effect the penetration of the material and result inthe closing of the basket without causing damage to the washover shoe.The closing of the basket may be hastened, if the drill pipe is rotatedback and forth, as such action particularly prevents clogging of thematerial between the teeth and thus efficiently aids in the penetratingprocess and also as, during the forward rotation of the basket, theinclined edges 28 of the teeth 27 serve as means for assisting theannular incline 29 in bending the teeth inward. As soon as the basket isclosed, the fishing tool is lifted out of the casing, and the parts orobjects 38, which are carried with the material 6 in the basket, arethus recovered.

It is understood that a suitable pumping means, not shown, is employedin connection with the operation of the fishing tool in order to forcewater through and around the drill pipe, through the pipe connection 17,the respective openings 22 and 23 in the heads, the wash-over pipe andthe casing and around the latter to the top of the well hole 7, whencethe water is led in the usual manner to the sump hole and carries withit some of the cuttings from the material 6 to any suitable collectingmeans.

The operation of the fishing tool shown in Figure 3 is similar to theoperation of the fishing tool already described, with the differencethat the drill pipe must be lifted independently of any rotary movementthereof in order that the driving head 30 .may deliver the necessaryhammer stroke upon the driven head 33, since in this instance thedriving head cannot be caused to rise above the driven head by anyrotary movement of the drill pipe.

With reference to the construction shown in Figure 4, it should be notedthat since the basket is connected directly with the .drill pipe, thecombined weight of the pipe and the basket, aided by the rotativemovement of the latter, is particularly adapted to enable the teeth 27quickly to penetrate the formation of the material 6, so that the teethmay speedily reach the incline 29 and that thus the bottom of the basketmay be closed in a minimum of time.

It is clear from the foregoing that the shoe 4 on the washover pipe 2,during .the drilling operation in the casing 3 prepares the formation ofthe material 6 for the approach of the basket to the tools, or otherobjects 38, or parts thereof, which have been lost in the well hole 7and that the construction of our fishing tool 1 otherwise is such thatthe tool may be quickly and efficiently operated in order to facilitatethe recovery of the lost objects, while at the same time the wash-overpipe and the shoe amply protect the basket from injury during thefishing operation.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a tool of the character described, a pipeadapted to penetrate rockor other material'; a basket normally open at its bottom and adapted tobe operatively connected with the pipe and to be raised or loweredtherein; a drill pipe operatively connected with the basket and having akey thereon; means in the first-mentioned pipe .for engaging the key soas to hold the basket in a raised position within said pipe; means forallowing the key to slide in the first-mentioned pipe so that the basketmay be raised or lowered therein; and means for closing the bottom ofthe basket when the pipe adapted to penetrate rock or other material andprovided in its wall with a longitudinal slot which is widened andoffset at its upper end; a basket normally open at its bottom andadapted to be operatively connected with the pipe and to be raised orlowered therein; a drill pipe operatively connected with the basket andhaving thereon a key which is adapted to slide in the longitudinal slot,so as to allow the basket to be raised or lowered in the first-mentionedpipe, or adapted to rest in, the offset of the slot so as to hold thebasket in a raised position within said pipe; and means for closing thebottom of the basket when the first-mentioned pipe'has penetrated thematerial to a predetermined depth and when the basket is lowered in thematerial, as, and for the purpose, set forth.

3. In a tool of the character described, a pipe adapted to penetraterock or other material; a basket movably mounted in the pipe, the basketbeing normally open at its bottom and provided at its top with a drivenhead; a drill pipe'movably eiztending into the first-mentioned pipe; adriving head secured to the drill pipe so as to be movable therewithabove the driven head in the firstmentioned pipe; means for connectingthe heads in a movable relation to each other so that by the operationof the drill pipe the ered in the material, as, and for the purpose, setforth. I

4. In a tool of the character escribed, a pipe adapted to p'enetraterockor other material; a basket movably mounted in the pipe and beingnormally open at its bottom; a drivenhead secured at the top of. thebasket and provided with circulation means therethrough; a drill pipemovably extending into the first-mentioned pipe; a

mentioned pipe; stop means for limiting.

the movement of the heads from each other and for allowing the basket tobe lifted by the drill pipe, the head-connecting means and sto meansbeing constructed so as to allow clrculation therethrough; and means forclosing the bottoln of the basket when the first-mentioned pipe haspenetrated the material to a predetermined depth and when the basket islowered in the material; as, and for the purpose, set forth.

5. In a tool of the character described, a pipe adapted to penetraterock or other material; a basket movably mounted in the pipe and beingnormally open at its bottom and provided at its top with a driven head;a drill pipe movably extending into the firstmentioned pipe; a drivinghead secured to thedrill pipe so as to be movable therewith above thedriven head in the first-mentioned pipe and to be adapted to contact thedriven head, the heads being so formed as to cause a downward motion ofthe driven head when the driving head contacts therewith; means forconnecting the heads in a movable relation to each other, so that, whenthe driven head is moved downward, the basket is adapted to penetratethe material in the first-mentioned pipe; stop means for limiting themovement of the heads from each other and for allowing the basket to belifted by the drill pipe; and means for closing the bottomof the basketwhen the first-mentioned pipe has penetrated thema- .terial to apredetermined depth and when the basket is lowered in the material, as,and for the purpose, set-forth.

6. In a tool of the character described, a pipe adapted to penetraterock or other material; a basket movably mounted in the pipe and beingnormally open at its bottom and provided at its top with a driven head;a drill pipe movably extending into the first mentioned pipe; a drivinghead secured to the drill pipe so as to be movable therewith above thedriven head in the first-mentioned pipe'and to be adapted to contact thedriven head, the headsbeing so formed as to cause the driven head tomove downward and to rotate in one direction when the driving headcontacts therewith and is rotated in the same direction, but not tocause rotation of the driven head when the driving 7 head is rotated inthe opposite direction;

means for connecting the heads in a mov able relation to each other, sothat, when the driven head is moved downward and is rotated in thefirst-mentioned direction, the basket is adapted to penetrate thematerial in the first-mentioned pipe; stop means for limiting themovement of the heads from each other and for allowing the basket to belifted by the drill pipe; and means for closing the bottom of the basketwhen the first-mentioned pipe has penetrated the material to apredetermined depth and when the basket is lowered in the material, as,and for the purpose, set forth.

7. In a tool of the character described, a core forming bit, a normallyopen basket mounted in the bit, means for producing a hammering actionupon the basket in re- 'sponse to rotation of a drill pipe, to force thebasket downwardly into the core formed by the bit, and means for closingthe basket when the latter has penetrated the core. I 8. In a tool ofthe'character described, a core forming bit, a normally open basketmounted in the bit, having cutting means f thereon, means for rotatingthe basket to cause the cutting means to penetrate the core formed bythe bit, or to drive the basket downwardly to force the cutting meansthereof into the core according as a drill pipe is rotated in onedirection or the other, and means forclosing the basket when the latterhas penetrated the core.

9. In a tool of the character described, a core forming bit, a normallyopen basket mounted in the-bit, having cutting means nection to a drillpipe, a driven head connected to the basket, means on said head coactingto rotate the basket and cause the cutting means thereon to penetratethe core formed by the bit, or to produce a hammering action upon thebasket to drive the cutting means thereof into the core according as thedrill pipe is rotated in one direction or the other, and means forclosing the basket when the latter has penetrated the core.

10. In a tool of the character described, a core forming bit, a normallyopen basket mounted in the bit, having cutting means thereon, means forrotating the basket to cause the cutting means to penetrate the coreformed by the bit, or to drive the basket downwardly to force thecutting means thereof into the core according as a drill pipe is rotatedin one direction or the other, means for closing the basket when thelatter has penetrated the core, and means for operatively connectingsaid bit to the drill pipe for rotation by the latter, yet rendering thebasket capable of being rotated independently of said bit.

11. In a tool of the character described, a. core forming bit, anormally open basket thereon, a driving head adapted for conmounted inthe bit, having cutting means

